ftdna is going to re-run my L159.2 test.Also I got an answer from Thomas via ftdna as to the stability of R-L159.2

"L159 is a marker that is composed of an intercalation of a poly G homopolymer with a (TG)n dinucleotide STR. We need to expect STR like mutation mechanisms from both directions, therefore the mutation frequency will be more similar to an STR (rather than a SNP).

I personally wouldn't trust the stability at a phylogenetic level beyond the genealogically relevant time frame. However we didn't explicitly collect stability data such as mutation frequencies for this kind of markers"

ftdna is going to re-run my L159.2 test.Also I got an answer from Thomas via ftdna as to the stability of R-L159.2

"L159 is a marker that is composed of an intercalation of a poly G homopolymer with a (TG)n dinucleotide STR. We need to expect STR like mutation mechanisms from both directions, therefore the mutation frequency will be more similar to an STR (rather than a SNP).

I personally wouldn't trust the stability at a phylogenetic level beyond the genealogically relevant time frame. However we didn't explicitly collect stability data such as mutation frequencies for this kind of markers"

Yes, Thomas Krahn mentioned this when L159.2 testing started to take off. I am glad we found Z255 (and Z254) to unite the Irish Sea Modal folks and those that are outliers but obviously are related.

I hope you come out positive, Mike, as always. Then again, there is always Z254 testing if you want to consider that later.

ftdna is going to re-run my L159.2 test.Also I got an answer from Thomas via ftdna as to the stability of R-L159.2

"L159 is a marker that is composed of an intercalation of a poly G homopolymer with a (TG)n dinucleotide STR. We need to expect STR like mutation mechanisms from both directions, therefore the mutation frequency will be more similar to an STR (rather than a SNP).

I personally wouldn't trust the stability at a phylogenetic level beyond the genealogically relevant time frame. However we didn't explicitly collect stability data such as mutation frequencies for this kind of markers"

That requires some translation, but it doesn't sound like the typical, straightforward SNP. I had heard something similar back when L159.2 was first discovered, which is why I felt some misgivings about it. But then it got added to the YCC Tree, so there it is.

This could be a good thing. L159.2 was always a little shaky. If Z255 is a "traditional" SNP, and if all L159.2+ guys are positive for it, it may be a step up, an improvement.

(I am not sure what Mike's situation is. Since he has a y-dna relative who is L159.2-, and Mike himself tested Z255-, he may in fact be L159.2-. Or perhaps his version of L159.2 is more an STR mutation than anything else.)

Ever since I heard that Mike's y-dna relative got an L159.2- result, I suspected that Mike was the one with the erroneous L159.2 result (although I could be wrong, obviously). I remembered reading one of your exchanges with him in which the two of you discussed how different his haplotype is from the usual L159.2 folks.

His recent Z255- result just seems to be more evidence that he is probably not L159.2+.

Ever since I heard that Mike's y-dna relative got an L159.2- result, I suspected that Mike was the one with the erroneous L159.2 result (although I could be wrong, obviously). I remembered reading one of your exchanges with him in which the two of you discussed how different his haplotype is from the usual L159.2 folks.

His recent Z255- result just seems to be more evidence that he is probably not L159.2+.

We'll see how FTDNA's re-test comes out.

His STRs are quite a bit different than the Irish Sea folks. If he comes out L159+ I also think we should call it it L159.3+

Well, I noticed in the earlier posts that no one could actually name an L144+ man who was Z255+. Now we have a real L144+ man who has been tested for Z255 and found to be negative for it.

So, was the supposed Z255/L144 connection a mistake, based on hearsay? That's what it looks like.

We do have some L159.2+ guys who are Z255+, however; so the connection there is confirmed.

Prosser tested Z255- so I'm sure my Whelan relative will aswell.I'm not sure if Kendall, who is L144+ and of a different haplotype, is testing for Z255. Robert Hughes may know as all three guys are in his 17-14-10 project

Unfortunately we have no idea of the identity or haplotype of the L144+ man in the 1000 genomes project who is supposedly Z255+.